07 I 2019 Kinnitty: a Prospectus for Development I Final Report
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Kinnitty A Prospectus for Development FINAL REPORT 07 I 2019 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report 2 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report contents 01 About this Plan .......................................................6 02 Creating a Destination ............................................8 03 Our Visitors ...........................................................11 04 The Proposition ....................................................18 05 The Action Plan ....................................................22 3 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report thank you We would like to thank the very many contributors, listed below, who gave generously of their time, expertise and information. Adam Ballard, Cycling Enthusiast, Birr Daithi de Forge, Coillte Adrian Flaherty, Local Resident Daniel Kealy, Local Resident, Business Owner (Transport) Adrian Haines, Cycling Business Owner, Birr Danielle Rock, Local Resident Alan Maye, Green Aer, Electric Bikes Declan McGann, Cycle Tech Ireland Alan Sheppard, Local Resident Dolores Flaherty, Local Resident Alison Chambers, Local Resident, Kinnitty Community Development Emmet Corrigan, Local Resident Association (KCDA) Ferghal Kealey, Local Resident, Business Owner, KCDA Andrew Murray, Offaly County Council Fionn Carroll, Local Resident Ann Sheppard, Local Resident, Kinnitty Playground Forbes Kelly, Consultant Aurel Greenaer, Green Aer, Electric Bikes Frank Bergin, Local Resident Basil Mannion, Local Authority Waters Programme Frank O’ Carroll, Local Resident, Community Centre Committee Bernard O’Grady, Local Resident, Community Centre Committee Ger Coughlan, Local Resident, Business Owner Bernadette Dunne, Local Resident Grace Clenndennen, Local Resident, KCDA Betty Dempsey, Local Resident, Business Owner (Hospitality) Graham Kenny, Bike Park Ireland Blaise Byrne, Local Resident Hazel Finney, Local Resident Brendan Flaherty, Local Resident Iris Peavoy, Local Resident, Business Owner Bridie Costello, Public Participation Network, Offaly County Council Ivan Sheppard, Local Resident, Historical Group Caitriona Duggan, Offaly Local Development Company Jackie Carroll, Local Resident, Business Owner (Post Office) Carmel Flaherty, Local Resident Jim Egan, Local Resident, Kinnitty Tidy Towns Catherine Bergin, Local Resident Jimmy O’Brien, Local Resident Chanel Ryan, Local Resident John Carroll, Local Resident, (KCDA) Christine Byrne, Local Resident, Business Owner (Hospitality), KCDA John Clenndennen, Local Resident, Business Owner (Hospitality), KCDA 4 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report John Mitchell, Offaly County Council Richard McRedmond, Local Resident Jonathan O’Meara, Business Owner, Mid-Ireland Adventure Sports Richard Mitchell, Local Resident Karina Dennigan, Local Resident Rita Flaherty, Local Resident Kathleen Tooher, Local Resident, Business Owner Rita McGuinness, Local Resident Kieran Clements, Local Resident, Business Owner (Hospitality) Robert Flaherty, Local Resident, Business Owner Majella Bergin, Local Resident, Camogie Club Robert O’Donoghue, Local Resident Mark Clendennen, Local Resident, Business Owner Sarah Morgan, Midlands Region (Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath) Matt Corcoran, Local Resident, Business Owner Seamus Kealey, Local Resident, Business Owner Mark Flaherty, Local Resident Seán De Cleir, Local Resident Mary Lalor, Local Resident Simon Cannon, Local Resident, Business Owner, Bloom E-Riders Mary McEvoy Donnelly, Local Resident, KCDA Siobhan Cannon, Local Resident Mary Stevenson, Local Resident, Kinnitty Tidy Towns Stefan Mathews, Team Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Club Michael de Cleir, Local Resident, Business Owner Tim Guinan, Local Resident Niall Davis, Biking.ie Tim Mathews, Local Resident, Business Owner Niall Faye, Local Resident, Business Owner Tom Lawlor, Local Resident Nigel Craughwell, Kinnitty Castle Hotel Tom Shanahan, Offaly County Council Norman Grant, Local Resident Tony Carroll, Local Resident, Kinnitty GAA Olivier Vander Elst, Green Aer, Electric Bikes Vicky Guinan, Local Resident Paddy O’Donnell, Local Resident Peter Ormond, Local Resident Phil Clenndennen, Local Resident Ray Leonard, Local Resident, retired Business Owner Richard Jack, Coillte 5 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report 01 About this plan The Ambition This plan is about realising the tourism potential of Kinnitty’s location as an important gateway to the Slieve Bloom Mountains. It is about using what is special about this area’s natural and cultural heritage – in particular its reputation for cycling 01 - to create a stronger destination that will appeal to visitors and enable the village community to develop its visitor economy. The objective is to welcome visitors, in particular walkers, cyclists and mountain bikers of all ages, to the village and from there encourage them to explore the surrounding countryside, enjoy the new bike trails and spend time in the area. The ambition is to grow day-trip and overnight stays thereby supporting the growth of tourism and cycling-related businesses. The Plan sets out the potential and identifies what needs to be done over the next five years and beyond. Cycling sits at the heart of this plan. The long-term objective is for Kinnitty to be a cycling hub – a gateway to and northern trailhead for the network of looped mountain biking circuits that will traverse the Slieve Blooms from north to south. Proposed visitor facilities – information, parking, food and drink, accommodation etc - within the village will provide a focal point, not only for bikers, but also for walkers, hikers and casual ramblers exploring the Slieve Blooms. About this Plan6 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report This plan is about adding value. It sets out what is required to stimulate visitor growth in ways which will benefit local business and the wider community. It is about encouraging existing visitors to the area to stay longer and spend more and it is also about attracting new visitors, with a focus on short breaks, because people staying overnight have a higher spend per head than day visitors. Most importantly, it is about creating an environment that will stimulate existing small businesses to thrive and enable new businesses to take root by creating the visitor facilities required to support tourism activity. The Process Following a competitive tender process Louise Browne Associates was commissioned by Offaly Local Development Company in November 2018 to undertake the work. The development of the plan relied hugely on the input from a wide range of contributors, listed on page 2, whose ideas, experience and expertise were sourced through a comprehensive series of one-to-one strategic conversations; two publicly advertised participative workshops and a series of focus group working sessions with the community development group – Kinnitty Community Development Association (KCDA)-; the local authority; Coillte, Offaly Local Development Company and the other partner agencies. 7 Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development02 Creating I Final Report a Destination The Starting Point The village of Kinnitty sits at the foot of Knocknamann on the western slopes of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. As a gateway to the Slieve Blooms it has some excellent natural and built heritage. The present Church of Ireland stands on the site of the monastery founded by St Finian in 557. In the porch, a large sandstone pillar, inscribed with a cross that contains spiralling serpent-like forms, is believed to be of much older origin 02 possibly dating back to Neolithic times. The Kinnitty Pyramid, the burial tomb of six members of the Bernard family, once the owners of nearby Kinnitty Castle, was built between 1830 and 1834 and is an exact replica of the Egyptian pyramid of Cheop. The Community Centre in the centre of the village, is housed in the Old School House and Petty Sessions Court, which were built in 1820. While the village itself may have seen more prosperous days, it has retained its distinctive character and still boasts, as indicated above, a range of architecturally impressive buildings and features of interest. Public sector and industry partners have recognised that achieving the economic potential of tourism requires investment. Coillte – the State Agency for Commercial Forestry - in conjunction with Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourist Authority, is investing significantly in the development of a world –class, international mountain-biking project in Ireland and the Slieve Blooms project is one of just four national Creating a projects being developed to realise this ambition.1 1 ‘The International Mountain Biking Proposition for Rural Ireland’ is funded under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, announced in February 2019. 8 Destination Kinnitty: A Prospectus for Development I Final Report Offaly County Council has long recognised the ‘The Slieve Blooms by important contribution that tourism makes to the Maintaining their nature, with many development of local economies. The Council Momentum small ridges and valleys provides infrastructure and environmental There is much work to be done to create a hub and a complex mix of management that is essential for a fully‐functioning economy such as the provision of roads, recreation destination in Kinnitty – a place with a coherent forest types and habitats, and amenity facilities ‐ with consequent benefits visitor proposition that uses its cycling and heritage are an ideal location for both local people and visitors. More directly,